Wall-mounted holder assembly for liquid/gel dispenser

ABSTRACT

The present technology relates generally to a wall-mounted dispenser holder used to suspend a soap dispenser above the countertop in an airplane lavatory. The dispenser holder includes a mounting plate configured to be attached to the lavatory wall and a clip portion having retention arms configured to be arranged around a neck portion of the soap dispenser. The dispenser holder is configured to be mounted high enough above the countertop to ensure that a soap dispenser received within the retention arms does not touch the countertop, thereby limiting the accumulation of water and bacteria around the base of the soap dispenser and facilitating easy cleaning of the countertop.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/624,057, titled Wall-Mounted Holder Assembly for Liquid/Gel Dispenser, filed Jan. 30, 2018, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to holder assemblies for dispensers, and more particularly to wall-mountable holder assemblies for liquid/gel dispensers.

BACKGROUND

Commercial airplanes typically include lavatories for passengers to use during flights. These lavatories include sinks mounted in countertops that the passengers can use to clean their face or to wash their hands after using the bathroom. The lavatories often also include soap dispensers mounted next to the sinks so that the passengers can use the hand soap to fully clean there while washing. In conventional soap dispenser systems for airplane lavatories, the soap dispensers are generally cylindrically shaped bottles having a dispensing pump at a first end and a protrusion at the opposing second end. A holder apparatus mounted to the countertop next to the sink includes an opening that receives the protrusion such that the holder mounted apparatus acts as a support base for the soap dispenser and securely holds the soap dispenser in place.

While washing their hands in the sink, a passenger may first rinse their hands in water coming from a tap coupled to the sink before pressing on the dispensing pump to pump out some hand soap. As they interact with the soap dispenser, some of the water on their hands is transferred to the soap dispenser and drips down the sides of the bottle. The water then pools at the base of the holder and, after a while, bacteria from the water or the passengers' hands accumulates at the base. Cleaning this accumulated bacteria requires airplane employees to wipe around the exterior of the holder. However, the holder is often located adjacent to a wall in the lavatory making it difficult for the employee to easily clean all sides of the base. Further, some of the accumulated bacteria may leak under the sides of the holder such that fully cleaning the dirt requires completely detaching the holder from the countertop. If left to accumulate for too long, the bacteria may begin to grow and can even produce an undesired and unpleasant smell. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved holder assemblies for dispensers soap, lotion, gel, or other flowable material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a soap dispenser retained within a dispenser holder configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the dispenser holder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the dispenser holder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an assembly that includes two of the dispenser holders of FIG. 1 attached to a mounting bracket.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the assembly shown in FIG. 4 attached to a wall of a lavatory.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure describes holder assemblies for use with dispensers of liquids, gels, or other flowable materials selected in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention. Several specific details of the invention are set forth in the following description and the Figures to provide a thorough understanding of certain embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the art, however, will understand that the present invention may have additional embodiments, and that other embodiments of the invention may be practiced without several of the specific features described below.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a soap dispenser 4 securely retained within a dispenser holder 2. The dispenser holder 2 includes a clip portion 6 having flexible retention arms 10 configured to releasably receive and retain a neck portion 14 of the soap dispenser 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the soap dispenser 4 is a soap bottle that includes a body portion 12 and a bottle head portion 16 separated from each other by the neck portion 14. The head portion 16 is in fluid communication with the body portion 12 via the neck portion 14 and a pump apparatus located within the head portion 16 is configured to dispense liquid or gel-based soap held within the body portion 12 using a tube that extends from the pump apparatus, through the neck portion 14, and into the body portion 12. When a passenger presses on the top of the head portion 16, soap is dispensed from the head portion 16. While the illustrated embodiment is discussed in connection with a soap dispenser, the dispenser can be used for dispensing other liquids, gels, suspensions, or other selected material.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the dispenser holder 2 also includes a mounting plate 8 coupled to the clip portion 6 and configured to be used to attach the dispenser holder 2 to the wall of the airplane lavatory. The mounting plate 8 has a generally planar structure and is configured to be arranged such that it is flush against the wall of the airplane lavatory when properly mounted. The clip portion 6 is coupled to the mounting plate 8 at one end of the planar structure such that the retention arms 10 extend in a direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the planar structure. As such, when the dispenser holder 2 is coupled to the lavatory wall, the retention arms 10 extend in a direction generally perpendicular to the lavatory wall and form a cantilevered support structure to which the soap dispenser 4 is removably attached.

The dispenser holder 2 is mounted to the lavatory wall such that, when the neck portion 14 of the soap dispenser 4 is releasably retained by the retention arms 10, the body portion 12 is suspended above the countertop and does not touch the countertop. Because of this, excess water transferred from a passenger's hands to the soap dispenser 4 may drip off of the bottle 4 and onto the countertop. Further, the soap dispenser 4 may even be suspended sufficiently high above the countertop that a cleaner's hand is capable of comfortably fitting between the bottom of the bottle body 4 and the countertop, thereby ensuring that cleaning any accumulated water drops merely requires the cleaner to wipe beneath the bottle body 4. As a result, any accumulated water is easily removed after each flight, thereby limiting any bacterial growth and reducing any undesired smells that may be present due to bacterial growth.

In the illustrated embodiment, the dispenser holder 2 is formed from a single piece of rigid material, such as plastic or the like, wherein the clip portion 6 and the mounting plate 8 are permanently coupled to each other. As such, the retention arms 10 are also formed the single piece of plastic. More specifically, the retention arms 10 are formed from curved strips of plastic sufficiently thin enough to ensure that the retentions arms 10 are flexible and capable of some degree of bending without breaking or permanently deforming. To ensure that the neck portion 14 of the soap dispenser 4 does not move when the retained by the dispenser holder 2, the curved retention arms 10 are sized and shaped to form a generally circular opening that matches with the neck portion 14 of the soap dispenser 4. In this way, the retention arms 10 securely hold onto the neck portion 14 so that the soap dispenser 4 is restrained by the dispenser holder. To install the soap dispenser 4 within the dispenser holder 2, a user or technician may grasp the tips 18 of the retention arms 10 in order to bend or flex the retention arms 10 so as to create a sufficiently wide gap between the two tips 18 for the neck portion 14 to pass through. Once the neck portion 14 passes into the generally circular opening between the two retention arms 10, the user or technician may release the tips 18 of the retention arms to allow the arms 10 to return to their original position. In some embodiments, the neck portion 4 may include a circular lip configured to rest upon a top edge of the retention arms 10 so as to help support the weight of the soap dispenser 4.

In the illustrated embodiments, the dispenser holder 2 relies upon the strength and flexibility of the retention arms 10 to ensure that the soap dispenser 4 remains securely retained. In other embodiments, however, the dispenser holder 2 may include an additional locking or securing mechanism configured to further restrict movement of the soap dispenser 4 once received by the retention arms 10. For example, the clip portion 6 may include a latching mechanism coupled to the tips 18 of the retention arms that is configured to couple the two retention arms 10 together so as to help prevent the soap dispenser 4 from disengaging with the dispenser holder 2. The clip portion 6 may also include a locking mechanism coupled to the retention arms that ensures that only authorized personnel (e.g., airline employees) are able to remove the soap dispenser 4 from the dispenser holder 2.

Because they are formed from flexible plastic, flexing the retention arms 10 to allow the neck portion 14 of the soap dispenser 4 to pass does not permanently or significantly damage the arms 10. However, if the retention arms 10 are forced to bend too much, the retention arms 10 may permanently deform and may therefore no longer be capable of securely retaining the soap dispenser 4 and must be replaced. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting plate 8 and the clip portion 6 are formed from a single piece of plastic and replacing the retention arms 10 requires replacing the entire dispenser holder 2. In other embodiments, however, the mounting plate 8 and the clip portion 6 may be formed from two different pieces of plastic configured to securely attach to each other. For example, the mounting plate 8 may be formed from a generally planar piece of plastic having attachment features (e.g., one or more notches) configured to mate with attachment features (e.g., one or more protrusions configured to securely fit within the one or more notches) on the clip portion 6. In these embodiments, replacing the retention arms 10 includes replacing the deformed clip portion 6 with a new clip portion 6 without detaching the mounting plate 8 from the lavatory wall. A screw or some other securing means may also be used to ensure that the mounting plate 8 and the clip portion 6 remain securely attached to each other.

In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting plate 8 includes fastener holes 20 configured to receive fasteners, such as mounting screws 22, so that the dispenser holder 2 can be affixed into the wall. In other embodiments, some other attachment means, such as tape or adhesive, is used to secure the mounting plate 8 to the wall. In still other embodiments, the dispenser holder may be attached to the wall using a mounting bracket. For example, FIGS. 4 and 5 show an assembly that includes two dispenser holders 2 directly mounted to a mounting bracket 24 configured to be attached to a lavatory wall 26 (e.g., using mounting screws, tape, or adhesive). The mounting bracket 24 may have a generally rectangular structure and may be formed from plastic, metal, or some other material. The two dispenser holders 2, which are affixed to the mounting bracket 24 (e.g., using mounting screws, tape, or adhesive) prior to the installation of the mounting bracket 24 onto the lavatory wall 26, are each configured to receive and retain an individual soap dispenser 4 such that two different soap dispensers 4 may be retained simultaneously. As such, the mounting bracket 24 ensures that the two soap dispensers 4 both remained suspended a selected distance above the countertop.

In the illustrated embodiments, the retention arms 10 are configured to be arranged around the neck portion 14 of the soap dispenser 4. In other embodiments, however, the retentions arms 10 may be configured to be arranged other parts of a soap dispenser 4. For example, some bottles 4 may be cylindrically shaped and do not include a neck portion around which the retention arms 10 can be arranged. Instead, the retention arms 10 are sized and shaped to be arranged around the cylindrical body of the soap dispenser 4. In general, to accommodate differently-shaped soap dispensers 4, dispenser holders 2 having differently-sized clip portions 6 and retention arms 10 may be available. Moreover, in embodiments where the clip portion 6 and the mounting plate 8 are formed from separate pieces, the airline may be able to swap out a clip portion 6 configured to receive a soap dispenser 4 having a first size and shape for a different clip portion 6 configured to receive a soap dispenser 4 having a second size and shape without removing the mounting plate 8 from the lavatory wall 26. In still other embodiments, the clip portion 6 and retention arms 10 may be adjustable such that a single clip portion 6 can be used to securely receive and retain soap dispensers 4 having a variety of a shapes and sizes.

In the illustrated embodiments, the dispenser holder 2 is formed entirely from plastic. In other embodiments, however, the dispenser holder 2 may include some metal. For example, in embodiments where the mounting plate 8 and the clip portion 6 are formed from two separate pieces, the clip portion 6 may be formed from metal while the mounting plate 8 is formed from plastic. Alternatively, the mounting plate 8 may be formed from metal while the clip portion 6 is formed from plastic. In still other embodiments, both the clip portion 6 and the mounting plate 8 are formed from metal.

In another embodiment, the mounting plate 8 of the dispenser holder comprises a mounting slot that removably and slidably received a mating portion of the clip portion. Accordingly, the clip portion can slidably engaged and disengaged from the mounting plate while the clip portion is attached or removed from the dispenser. The mounting slot can be sized to frictionally engage the mating portion of the clip in a friction fit that holds the clip portion in a selected position relative to the mounting plate. In another embodiment, the mounting slot can have a blocking shoulder that limited the travel of the mating portion within the slot. In another embodiment, the slot can have a bottom end against which the mating portion can engage when the clip portion is installed on the mounting portion. In yet another embodiment the slot and mating portion can be arranged so the mounting plate has an engagement member and the clip portion has the slot that slidably receives the mounting plate's engagement member so as to removably retain the clip portion in a selected position relative to the mounting plate.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims. 

I/we claim:
 1. A dispenser holder for suspending a dispenser of flowable material above a countertop, the dispenser holder comprising: An engagement portion configured to releasably engage the dispenser and to carry the weight of the dispenser and flowable material therein in a position suspended above the countertop; A mounting portion coupled to the engagement portion and configured to be affixed to a portion of support structure spaced above the countertop, the engagement portion being oriented in an substantially cantilevered orientation relative to the mounting portion; Where in the engagement portion suspends the dispenser in a hanging position spaced away from the mounting portion and spaced vertically above the countertop.
 2. The dispenser holder of claim 1 wherein the engagement portion is a clip member with spaced apart, flexible engagement arms configured to releasably clip onto a portion of the dispenser and support the dispenser in the hanging position.
 3. The dispenser assembly of claim 1 wherein the engagement member is integrally connected to the mounting portion.
 4. The dispenser assembly of claim 1 wherein the mounting portion is a plate mountable to vertical portion of a support wall.
 5. The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein the engagement member is connectable to a neck portion of the dispenser.
 6. The dispenser assembly of claim 1 wherein mounting portion comprises a retention slot, and the engagement member has a connection portion slidably positioned within the retention slot for removal or installation of the engagement member on the mounting portion. 